News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Likud Member of Knesset Limor Livnat petitioned the High Court of Justice Monday against Attorney General Menachem Mazuz's opinion on Sunday that Israel's transition government does not have to stop diplomatic talks with Syria. Mazuz issued the opinion in response to a query from Livnat after reports on Friday that outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had essentially offered Syria return of the Golan Heights in exchange for direct talks.

While Mazuz said any agreement reached by negotiators would have to be ratified by the cabinet and the Knesset, Livnat said she had no choice but to file the petition because such an agreement could bind future governments. She noted the court's decision last week to cancel a meeting of the committee for selecting judges until a new government is formed.